Former lawyer to Thatcher will advise solicitors

Dr Booth's first commission will be to help the Queen Square firm develop its business in China, where he will be presenting a series of seminars this month as part of the Red Dragon Advisors initiative. He flew to China on Saturday with Gregg Latchams partners Paul Hardman and Ken McEwan.

Red Dragon Advisors is a China investment services consortium, of which Gregg Latchams are founder members.

In addition to this role, Dr Booth will also help develop the services the firm is beginning to offer from its London base in Berkeley Square.

Dr Booth was a policy adviser on law and the environment to Mrs Thatcher when she was Prime Minister, and he held ministerial posts in the Foreign Office and Department of Education when an MP from 1992 to 1997. He was a Government trade envoy in central Asia from 1998 to 2012, for which the Queen awarded him an OBE. He is a barrister at law, having studied law at Bristol University and Cambridge University, where he was given a doctorate.

Richard Hill, managing partner at Gregg Latchams, said: "We see the appointment of Dr Booth as an excellent opportunity for Gregg Latchams to raise its profile, particularly in London and the South East, and to help develop our new services."

Dr Booth said: "I am delighted to be joining Gregg Latchams. I hope to play a part in promoting Anglo- Chinese and other international business, which is so important."